Have Faith, Not Doubt!

Friday's Devotion (2-27-04)

"Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do]." 1 Timothy 1:4 (KJV)

You know that a lot of us make one mistake that causes us a lot of problems. We give our attention to fairy tales and endless genealogies. Those things bring questions and by questions what I mean is doubt. We as followers sometimes have to go and do these little studies to prove stuff like: Jesus, is the Son of God or etc. However, we are not to go off of those types of things. We are supposed to believe that Jesus, is the son of God, because the Bible tells us so. If I own a basket ball team and I tell them, "I have faith, that you guys, can win the game, if you prove it!" then I don't really have faith in my team do I? It's the same way, with God. His Word, is written, but we have to go do these studies about genealogies. If we have faith in God, we can believe His Word, without having to test His Word! The dangerous thing about doing studies on Genealogy is that the world can twist so many things and once you see their worldly evidence it sometimes brings doubt. If we have doubt, we are being destroyed. Doubt doesn't build us up or edify us. What doubt does, is bring us away from the Lord. Doubt, must be the number one tool of the enemy! We are to be built up or edified by believing. It builds me up, to believe by faith that Jesus Christ, came and died and rose again for all of my sins. It tears me down, if I give room for false doctrines and it gives me doubt. You might say, "Well, I can look at that stuff without having doubt!" Well, who do you think you are? You're not perfect, you're not Jesus Christ! We are to stay away from false teachings. I want you to consider something, if you refuse to heed to this warning. If you don't listen to my warning and you go do one of these studies or pay attention to fables, I want you to notice what your mind begins to think. I want you to notice that doubt, when it comes. Here are some signs that doubt may have a hold on you:

1. After you read the article that brings you doubt, do you have to go and prove yourself right? Do you have to show yourself that God's Word, is true?

2. Do you find yourself fighting off thoughts that go against the Word of God?

I'm sure there are more signs than that, but those are the ones that come to my mind. If anything brings you doubt, you need to stay clear of that thing that brings the doubt. This goes for people who bring you doubt too. Build yourself up in the faith with God's Word, praise music, prayer and etc. One thing that helps build up is to read or listen to the testimonies of others. Have faith, not doubt!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this message and for all things. Please forgive us of all our sins and we forgive those who've wronged us. Help us to be built up in the faith and help us to get rid of any doubt and anything that may bring doubt. In Jesus, name. A-men!

God bless!

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